CityTalks Tickets

CityTalks: Why the Voice to Parliament is essential for all Australians

Australia is a proud and diverse nation with a rich cultural heritage that dates back at least 65,000 years. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are the First Peoples of Australia and can proudly claim the oldest continuing culture on earth.

First Nations people are not recognised in our constitution – this must change.

A Voice to Parliament will provide advice to the federal government about laws and policies that effect or impact Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

The federal government has also committed to implementing the Uluru Statement from the Heart, and as a first step, has proposed a referendum to ask the Australian people to enshrine the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament in our constitution.

This referendum provides all Australians with the opportunity to come together and consider a change to our constitution that will recognise the history, and ongoing relationship of First Nations people with this land.

This is your chance to hear directly from community leaders, Voice experts, and constitutional specialists on what the Voice to Parliament will mean for our nation’s future.

Facilitated by Prof Stan Grant – journalist, author, writer and filmmaker.

Hear from:

· The Hon Linda Burney MP, Minister for Indigenous Australians.

· Clover Moore AO, Lord Mayor of Sydney

· Noel Pearson, member of the Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition of Indigenous Australians and the Referendum Council

· Thomas Mayo, First Nations Referendum Working Group, co-author The Voice to Parliament Handbook – All the detail you need and author, Finding our Heart

· Kerry O’Brien, journalist and co-author The Voice to Parliament Handbook – All the detail you need

· Prof Anne Twomey AO, Professor of Constitutional Law and director of the Constitutional Reform Unit at Sydney Law School, University of Sydney.

· Shane Phillips, CEO, Tribal Warrior

· Dr Shireen Morris, director of the Radical Law Centre Reform Lab at Macquarie University Law School.

Event details:

Date: Wednesday 19 July 2023

Time: 6:30pm–8:30pm

Venue: Centennial Hall, Sydney Town Hall

Book your free ticket today.

Authorised by Clover Moore in Sydney on behalf of Sydney City Council.

Learn more:

Our steps toward reconciliation.
At the City of Sydney since 2008, we’ve had our own ‘Voice’ to Council – the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Panel . The panel provides advice to inform our policies and strengthen our relationship with First Nations organisations and leaders.

In 2018 Council recognised the unique status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as custodians of this land and supported the recommendations of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which included a Voice to Parliament.

In supporting First Nations people, the City of Sydney has worked with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Advisory Panel and leadership team on a range of initiatives including:

· the Eora Journey, through which we pay respect to First Nations histories, cultures and communities

· our Stretch reconciliation action plan, which makes reconciliation everyone’s business at the City of Sydney

· our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander procurement, employment and grants programs

· Yananurala, our storytelling harbour walk.